After last week’s adoption of a parliamentary report which recommended lands cabinet secretary Charity Ngilu take full responsibility of the ‘mess’ in her ministry, over 30 MPs have signed a new petition to introduce a motion that will finally see Ngilu ejected from the Jubilee government barely six months into office.
The cabinet secretary is accused of violating the constitution by making illegal appointments as well as arbitrary sacking of staff in the lands ministry. However, Ngilu defended herself, accusing her tribulations on betrayal and Ardhi House impunity ‘fighting back’.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan (ODM), also the chair of Public Investments Committee, has drafted a motion that details six grounds for Ngilu’s sacking from the cabinet. Keynan lists six unforgivable sins against Charity, including illegally embezzling the constitutional powers of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to establish and abolish offices in the public service and to appoint persons.
Ngilu had appointed (and revoked the appointment when things got elephant) Peter Kahuho as Director-General in the ministry with the power to sign title deeds, a prerogative of the Commissioner of Lands whose current holder, Zablon Mabea, she told parliament was too ill to perform his duties.
However, already, MPs are divided over the issue with some reading ulterior motives. As one MP noted, though Ngilu outrightly broke the law, the ‘ink has not dried’ on their recommendations which, among others, provided that she takes ‘full responsibility’ of her unconstitutional actions. Heck, that is exactly what this new push is all about!
Among Mps already opposing the move to send Ngilu packing include Joe Mutambo (Mwingi Central), Mpuri Aburi (Tigania), Ken Okoth (Kibra), Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North), Moses Sakuda (Kajiado West) and Cecily Mbarire (Runyejes). Consider the motion, lost!